Tsar Cannon: Russia’s high-end custom tactical rifle maker

Tsar Cannon, who are the exclusive provider of sniper rifles to the Russian equivalent of the Secret Service, claim that they produce the most accurate sniper and competition rifles in Europe.

The company hopes to export into the United States. RT.com reports (emphasis mine) …

The shots are remarkable accurate, so it is easy to understand why this kind of weapon is the first choice for professional snipers and for those protecting Russia’s top leaders. If one wanted to shoot out the eye of a rabbit at a distance of one mile, this is the gun for it.

Tsar Cannon plans to enter the US market in the near future where, even though the market is dense with similar companies, the number of shooting ranches is many times bigger than in Russia. Therefore there is a demand for the best, hi-tech rifles.

I do not see how they are going to be able to export. Since 1997 the ATF has barred Russian imports other than gun explicitly approved in Federal Regulation T.D. ATF-393. I do not belive the approved list has been updated in over a decade …

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section, the Director shall deny applications to import into the United States the following firearms and ammunition:

(1) Any firearm located or manufactured in Georgia, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russian Federation, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, or Uzbekistan, and any firearm previously manufactured in the Soviet Union, that is not one of the models listed below:

(i) Pistols/Revolvers:

(A) German Model P08 Pistol.

(B) IZH 34M, .22 caliber Target Pistol.

…

The only way they could get around this ban is to name their guns after a rifle listed as being allowed for import. For example, they could name their rifle “Saiga Super-Sniper” (Saiga is listed as being legal to import). Although, I doubt the BATFE would allow this when they figured it out.

“Ammunition located or manufactured in Georgia, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russian Federation, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, or Uzbekistan, and ammunition previously manufactured in the Soviet Union, that is 7.62X25mm caliber (also known as 7.63X25mm caliber or .30 Mauser); or ”

Seriously, you’d think a gun-friendly politician of some sort could at least introduce a provision to get THAT out of the bill.

Thomas

O my god when the guy jumps at the end was so funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Matt Groom

Considering the problems we’re having with Czars in the US, I can definitely see a market for Czar Cannons.

80k .22lr on my IZH 34M in one year. Epoxy the parts starting at around 20k. At around 80k the pistol fell apart. It still work but not worth the effort to epoxy back again. I would buy the replacement parts if it was available in the USA. Overall I was please with the gun even if it only lasted for one year and I bought it new.

I show you the pistol once I get home and have a chance to post it up.

The ATF rules entirely by fiat, and almost none of their rulings have withstood a serious court challenge. The very existence of the ATF as a tax-revenue agency is questionable as far a purposes of legality are concerned because the 16th amendment was never ratified.

Executive orders do not have any constitutional authority and my only be used as guidance by members of the executive staff within the confines of that branch’s constitutionally granted authority. That being said, most EOs are illegal. Presidents sign bills into law, they don’t make law.

Carl

Ok, so it’s an unlawful law or order from Clinton.

This would mean that it is in fact legal to import these firearms from Russia, but if you do you might get arrested or killed by some people who claim to be enforcing the law.

Bill Lester

Don’t forget the SPR (formerly Spartan Gun Works) line of shotguns sold by Remington. I believe each of the four manually-operated models sold in the U.S. is a Baikal. (The autoloader may as well, I don’t know for sure.) IIRC, EAA just stopped importing these same shotguns within the past ~ 5 years. So it would appear the cited BATFE reg has been updated at least once.

vtb

Well. The OVL-3 is the best sniper rifle you can get in russia. Basically because it’s here and USA guns are in US. and when you start to compare prices – Lobaevs guns are very good in terms price/quality (basically for $15-20K u get a custom build very precise sniper rifle. to compare price – AW in .338 costs about $30K in shops)

Also it’s very good for us that Lobaev got permissions to modify\repair guns (i know it’s sounds crazy to you ppl in US but any modification of weapon without special permission is a crime in Russia (as well as reloading of .308 for example))

and because Lobaev have permissions and have hands putted well in place – he repairs guns with good results. As my friend joked – when my Rem 700 PSS will die i will come to lobaev and say – please – re-barrel it with 24″ barell and make it shoot with Norma 168gr with exactly the same ballistics as Ballistic calculator tells me to shoot 😉

I wonder if US bans on importing specific types of firearms from certain places (ie Russia) are legal once the Russians join the WTO.

AFAIK WTO rules mean you can’t discriminate against products from a particular country that is also in the WTO unless there are genuine health and safety issues… that should mean that these bans are illegal and if they are not lifted Russia can take punitive measures like banning all sorts of things from the US.